But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
Hebrews 2:9
A remarkable truth jumped out at me as I read this…… Jesus’ ability to suffer and taste death for everyone was accomplished through his access of the grace of God. “So that by the grace of God, he might taste death.”
You might think this isn’t significant, but this says to me that the ability we have to do the will of God in the most difficult moments can only be achieved by accessing the grace God gives.
Jesus, the Son of Man, has experienced every temptation we will ever be touched with so that he can be the perfect Help.
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession, For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16.
And, “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” 2 Timothy 2:1. reminding us, ‘we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us’. Philippians 4:13. (I define grace as Gods enabling power at work in us.)
Our life was not given to live independently from a need for God.
Jesus endured the cross, having worked through His own will with loud cries and supplications. In an agony, He prayed more earnestly, so that through experience, he could become the author of salvation made perfect through that prayerfully endured suffering. And Hebrew’s exhortation, we “have not yet resisted to the shedding of blood,” makes this a powerful reminder that where trouble abounds grace does much more abound. We have been given immeasurable riches of grace in Christ Jesus. We learn as the Apostle Paul discovered, God's grace is sufficient in these moments.
When we examine our own lives, do we fall short of accessing this power that is to us, who believe? This strengthening of might in our inner man by His Spirit, the Spirit of Grace, is unto love. A love that compels. A love that values. A love that willingly denies self for the greater good. Do we frustrate His workings, quench His endeavours simply by denying the grace that has made us? Grace given to enable us to do the very works ordained for us.
Our days ahead will demand that we be Spirit-filled believers, not in name or theory but in vital practicalities. Jesus’ last instructions to his disciples were to stay in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from above.
A ''be being filled', from Ephesians 5:18-20, shows us the very present working of our Father in the church today. This place of worship and presence, along with the emphasis of feeding daily upon His word, is the very life that enables us to obey.
Once again, a reminder: Jesus had to access the grace to taste death, endure the cross, and bend His will tells us there are no shortcuts for us. He has left us an example that we are to follow with the assurance that grace is always sufficient so we can endure momentary light afflictions for the greater weight of glory promised.